


Second Chances

by ThisWasBetterInMyHead



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Del had NOTHING on his wiki, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional support animal, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Other, Reunions, Self-Discovery, so I took some creative liberties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26742127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisWasBetterInMyHead/pseuds/ThisWasBetterInMyHead
Summary: "What's that," he asked, voice still raw from crying.Russel had a look on his face when he answered, "It's a cell phone."His eyes went wide. "Really?" he wondered. "Where are the buttons?"This time, Russel chuckled. "It's touch screen."The younger made a noise of understanding before muttering about how much things must have changed. Then he froze, slowly moving his eyes to meet Russel's. "Russel," he started. "What year is it?"Nothing ever seems to be "normal" when it comes to the band. Just when things finally appear to calm down, Russel returns from a family emergency with a somewhat familiar teen at his heels. Now everyone is provided with second chances they didn't even know they wanted. Noodle gets to have someone who truly relates and understands her again. 2-D gets to have another "geek" to talk to again. Murdoc gets another chance at helping to raise a teen. Russel has another chance to have a (platonic) soulmate....And Del gets a second chance at life.
Relationships: TBD - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. The Kid in the Coffin

**Author's Note:**

> Del had so much untapped potential that it was unreal. There was also so many things that weren't known about him. I felt like changing that so here you go.

Russel sighed as he stepped out of the hospital into the Sun. He was quite thankful that his mother's fall hadn't been as bad as they originally thought, as she was the last member of his family outside of the band. He smiled to himself, pulling his cap back onto his head. The band was like family to him, albeit a dysfunctional one. Pulling out the car keys from his pocket, Russel tried to plan out what he was going to do for the rest of his break. Murdoc had lent him the newly-fixed Stylo for the journey and gave him until the next recording session to spend in the US. He was more than thankful, and made sure to compliment his progress in therapy. While he himself was proud of this leg in his journey, Murdoc was trying to build back up his 'tough guy' act. Russel shook his head at the thought, getting in the drivers seat. After another moment of consideration, he drove to the nearest flower shop. He bought a bouquet of carnations and a bouquet of calla lilies before venturing off to the cemetery.

Finding his dad's grave first, he plopped down next to it and deposited the carnations. He smiled, almost feeling like his father was there with him, before greeting the empty air. A couple hours passed by, filled with Russel sharing stories of his band mates, how he was growing as a person, and how his mom was doing, going as far as to explain why she couldn't come with him. A few minutes later, he stood up, grabbing the rest of the flowers and journeying further into the cemetery. He was excited to speak to Del, and even though he never felt his presence, he was always hopeful that he would be there the next visit. Excitement blossomed in his chest as he saw the grave. Or it would have if there wasn't a man and a dog digging at it. Russel's blood ran cold at the sight and he stormed over to the man.

"What the **fuck** is going on here," he bellowed, barely startling the man.

"There's someone buried here," the man replied, stopping Russel in his tracks.

"No shit Sherlock," Russel sighed, stunned by the man's response. "We're in a fuckin' _cemetery_. Of course someone's buried here."

The man paused his digging and looked Russel in the eyes. "I mean someone _alive_. Listen."

In the silence that stretched, a barely audible thud came from under their feet.

Russel's stomach dropped. He panicked, stuttering as the man started digging again. "How can I help," he blurted.

Without stopping, the man answered that his partners were in the shed further back, that they would be able to help more, and told him to grab a shovel to help. Russel ran off, dropping the flowers, reaching the shed in record time and getting back within minutes. The largest of the man’s partners had dug through six feet of soil like it was nothing, before she stabbed a large hole at the foot of the coffin. A scream echoed from the inside and the group continued digging with renewed vigor. Another four minutes rewarded them with a mostly uncovered coffin. The woman, who had taken the lead the moment she showed up, slid down into the hole, forcing the others to move back so as to not upset the soil around it. Russel shifted from foot to foot, hearing her breach the latches on the side of the coffin. A creak signified the opening of the coffin and a yelp came from the hole. A quiet “are you alright?” was answered with heart wrenching sobs. The woman cooed at the person before yelling back out of the hole. “It’s a kid!”

Russel’s heart dropped as the woman pulled herself out of the hole, cradling the “kid” in her other arm. He looked to be a teenager who was anything but small. In fact, he was probably about Russel’s height, give or take an inch or two. He was dressed in a nice suit with his dread-locked hair pulled into a nice ponytail. He looked familiar, almost like a distant memory… Russel froze as his brain slotted the pieces together. “...Del?”

Almost instantly, the head shot up, forcing Russel into a sudden bout of eye contact. Wet, bloodshot eyes confirmed his thoughts and he moved forward to reach for the teen. “Del,” he breathed, shock not enough to dampen the happiness that flooded through his veins.

Del’s eyes began to water again as he slid out of the woman’s grip to go hug his brother figure. He held Russel and sobbed, causing Russel to do the same. The trio watched on in silence, holding each other close. A few minutes later, the two pulled away from each other, chuckling at the other’s tear streaked faces. Russel left to talk to the trio while Del looked around tiredly. His gaze settled on the gravestone in front of him. It read “Denzel Redd Jones, Beloved son, brother, and soulmate. December 31, 1977 - September 17, 1992". He trudged closer, noting how weathered it had become since his funeral.

Walking around the side, he noticed a bouquet of flowers in the middle of graveless land. He smiled at seeing the lilies and tucked one into his suit jokingly. He brought his treasure back to the "adults" only to see them tapping away at small rectangular devices. Del wandered up to Russel's side, peering over his shoulder to see the screen in his hands. "What's that," he asked, voice still raw from crying.

Russel had a look on his face when he answered, "It's a cell phone."

His eyes went wide. "Really?" he wondered. "Where are the buttons?"

This time, Russel chuckled. "It's touch screen."

The younger made a noise of understanding before muttering about how much things must have changed. Then he froze, slowly moving his eyes to meet Russel's. "Russel," he started. "What year is it?"


	2. Memories Mentioned in a McDonalds Parking Lot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Russel and Del take some time to reminisce and play catch-up over McDonald's.

He should have known that Del was in a vulnerable mindset at the moment. He should have known that there were better ways to handle this. “Well,” Russel muttered. “Experience is the best teacher.”

Nearly immediately after he told Del that it was January of 2020, the poor kid’s knees had buckled and he had passed out. Russel was currently in the process of dragging the kid back to the car; not a good look for someone leaving a cemetery. When the two finally reached the car, Russel put an arm around Del’s shoulders, supporting his weight while he unlocked and opened the back doors. Del’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, before he yawned and leaned back into Russel, falling asleep. A small smile slipped on his face at the familiarity of it all; it was just like back then, when Del would drag the gang to one place or another, only to fall asleep within an hour of being there and need to be dragged back home. The memory gave him an idea, and he made sure that Del was secure and comfortable across the backseats. He got in the front seat, and took off to the nearest McDonald's. He remembered this exact dive-in as the one he and his friends used to go to after late-night football games that fell on school nights, making it all the better. He ordered himself a quarter pounder with cheese and a Big Mac with everything except pickles, along with two iced teas and two large fries. He paid for the food, chuckling when the cashier recognized him and passing him a spare napkin with his autograph as he was handed his change. He collected his food and pulled into the nearby parking lot. Grabbing the bag with the burgers, he watched the backseat in the rear-view mirror. He yanked open the bag and watched the nearly immediate reaction. The suit-clad body in the backseat shifted into a sitting position quickly, swaying a little as his dreads flew around his face at the motion. He struggled for a moment against his seat belt before leaning over the central console. “Big Mac?” he asked Russel, pointing at the bag. 

Russel chuckled, nodding and reaching into the bag to find Del’s food. The teen grinned and bounced in place. “Gimme gimme gimme,” he chanted reaching for his burger. 

Russel passed him his burger, smiling sadly at how little had changed. Del originally took no notice to his distress, as he was too busy working his way into the passenger seat. Plopping down, he grinned at his food before turning to Russel. “Just like old times, right?” he joked, before noticing Russel’s expression. “You good?”  


Russel huffed out a chuckle, shaking his head. “You used to do the same thing back then.”  


Del tilted his head, placing his burger in his lap. “Yeah?”  


Russel chuckled again, playfully pointing at him. “Yeah, and that too.” His smile dropped for a moment before he turned to look through the windshield, crossing his arms and leaning on the steering wheel. Del copied him, leaning on the dashboard and watching his friend carefully.  


Russel sighed, turning to offer Del a tired smile and an explanation. “You used to get so excited when we got burgers, then you’d go around, jumpin’ like a maniac until you got yours,” he chuckled again, turning back to the windshield. “Used to think you were like a big kid but now,” he sighed again. “All I can see is that you really were just a kid.”  


Del furrowed his brow, looking through the windshield himself. “Oh.”  


Silence stretched through the car for a moment before being interrupted by Russel sitting up.  


“I _just_ now realized why we never saw you driving.”  


Del chuckled. “Took you long enough.”  


Russel playfully shoved his shoulder, chuckling himself. “Ain't my fault my best friend’s a liar.”

Del’s face dropped with feigned hurt. “A liar? Russ, you wound me.”

Russel jokingly threw his hands around as he spoke. “You kept the lie goin’ since the day we met you! You looked like any other sophomore in the school, how were we supposed to know you were **thirteen**?

"I never said I wasn't," Del defended. "Plus, it's not like you didn't find out eventually."

"You literally took that secret _to the grave_! I only found out when I saw your gravestone!" 

Del chuckled. "I remember that." 

Russel rolled his eyes. "How'd you even skip that far ahead? You were always talkin' 'bout how 'average' your grades were." 

Del bit his lip and looked away. " _That_ is where I may have been a liar." 

"You know what," Russel started, turning in his seat. " **Spill**. All of it. What else were you keepin' from us?" 

Del went to bounce his leg, pausing to relocate his burger to the dashboard. "Well, first off, I was top of the honors class-" 

"What!" Russel cried, a look of shock on his face. "You used to make fun of me for bein' smart-" 

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Del interrupted. "I used to make jokes about you going to a prep school. I never brought your intellect into it. We're both smart, that's why we get along so well." 

He bit his lip again. "I like to sing sometimes, mostly to myself, I'll draw sometimes, and, um," he turned away from Russel. "I wasn't entirely opposed to the Halloween costumes you suggested a while back. Can I eat now?" 

Russel paused for a moment but passed Del his drink and fries before grabbing his own. Things remained quiet for a few minutes, until Del paused and made a thoughtful face. Russel, taking notice, asked him about it, getting a small smile in response. "This is my first meal in like... twenty-seven years. Isn't that crazy?" 

Russel paused, doing the mental math before nodding. As they finished their food, Del cleared his throat. "Hey Russ? Have you been in contact with my parents by chance?" 

He nodded. "I visited them last year when I came for my dad's funeral." 

Del sat up quickly. "Your dad? Man I'm so sorry. I know you two were close before," he motioned erratically with his hands. "...everything." 

Russel nodded his thanks as he checked the phone that had started buzzing in his pocket. He chuckled, feeling Del shift to try and see the screen. "You forgot your flowers at the cemetery." 

"Aw fuck," Del groaned. 

"Language," Russel chided before he could stop himself. 

Del burst out laughing. "Language? English." 

Russel chuckled himself, starting the car and nudging Del back into the passenger seat. "We'll go grab your flowers on the way to your parents' house." 

The teen next to him lit up. "Really?" 

At his friend's nod he rushed to buckle his seat belt. Who could blame him? He hadn't seen his parents in nearly thirty years! The car started and the two began the next leg of their journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Del has a LOT of unknowns, so I am taking as much creative liberty as I can.


	3. Popping in at the Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Del and Russel stop at the Jones' house. Some discoveries are made, some tears are shed and a game plan is formed.

Russel looked over to the teen in the passenger seat with a small smile on his face. Del was bouncing in his seat, holding his flowers in his lap. He had gotten to pet the dog that had tried to help dig him up, which just made him even more excited. Russel smiled larger and turned onto the street of Del's childhood home. He pulled into the driveway, stopping Del from getting out. After getting a frustrated noise from the kid, he explained that he needed to break the news to his parents. Del visibly deflated, but made his understanding known. When Russel rang the bell, he was surprised by Del's mother almost immediately answered the door. He recovered quickly and gave her a smile. "Hi Mrs. Jones. Mom tell you I was coming?"

Mrs. Jones smiled back, bringing him for a hug. "Yes she did. Would you like to come inside?" 

"Actually," Russel started. "Could you and the mister please come out here? I have something important that you need to hear." 

She looked confused, but Mrs. Jones went inside to get her husband. When they both came outside, Russel began to shift on his feet. "So," he began, rubbing the back of his neck. "You guys know how I always seem to attract strange occurrences?" 

"Dear Lord, Russel," Mr. Jones sighed. " _Please_ tell me that you aren't in any trouble." 

Russel chuckled nervously, shifting his feet some more. "Not exactly. See, I'm not sure how it happened, but, um," he shifted more violently. "Del's back. Like _back_ back."

The parents stared at him blankly for a moment. "What do you mean by that," Mrs. Jones asked. "Do you mean a ghost again? Or do you mean something else." 

"Something else for sure," he chuckled, moving to the side of the car. "He's in the car." 

He peered into the window, seeing Del pouting at his flowers as he waited. Chuckling, Russel knocked on the window, before motioning for Del to come out.

The teen grinned, pushing open the door and nearly falling out of the car in his haste. When his eyes met those of his parents, however, he froze. A beat of silence spread across the group as the family stared at each other.

It was only when Mrs. Jones stepped towards the young man that time seemed to start again. Her movements were mirrored by her son and within moments the two were trapped within the other’s hold. When sobbing rose from the two, Mr. Jones moved quickly to join them.

Russel happily watched the family for a while before clearing his throat and suggesting that they head inside. He couldn’t stop his laughter at the sight of Del sprinting for the house the moment he was released. To his credit, he did wait by the door for his parents to let them in before checking around the house. The living room had been repainted and the kitchen had been renovated, making the place feel unfamiliar to him. Taking note of his obvious discomfort, Mrs. Jones placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright dear,” she inquired. 

Del shifted. “Yeah Mom it’s fine. It’s just a bit different than what I was used to.”

She smiled in understanding and steered him towards the stairs. “I see. I know what will help.”

Del peered over his shoulder at Russel, silently asking for his permission. At his smile and nod, Del went up the stairs. He continued to let his mom guide him until he was in the doorway of his childhood bedroom. He was shocked that it was still there, just like it was all those years ago. “It didn’t feel right,” his mother started, drawing his attention. “Getting rid of your room. Especially when Russel said that your spirit was still with him. We kept it as a memorial of sorts.”

Del smiled at her and once again trapped her in a hug. After letting go, he wandered over to his closet, delighted to find his clothes still hung up. He turned back to his mom. “You can go back with Dad and Russ. I’m gonna change clothes, maybe grab a shower.” 

His mom nodded and made her way back to the living area, coming in right as Russel finished recounting their day.

“I’m gonna miss him when I have to head back,” Russel sighed. “We have so much catching up to do and nowhere near enough time.”

He watched the Joneses’ faces fill with guilt at the statement and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Mrs. Jones dropped her gaze and mumbled. Russel blinked in confusion. “What do you mean you ‘can’t do it again’?” 

Mr. Jones went to put an arm around his wife before responding. “Russel, I’m sure that you’ve noticed that the neighborhood hasn’t changed much for the better. There is no guarantee that Denzel wouldn’t be put in danger again. We were lucky enough that you were there for him the first time, but that was a once in a blue moon occurrence. If he were to be killed again, we would lose our son permanently. We can’t go through the pain of losing him again.”

Russel’s eyes widened, surprised at the answer but understanding it all the same. “Are you saying-“

“He can’t stay here Russel. He can go anywhere, you can put him in a home if you have to, but he can’t stay here.”

The stairs creaked and the adults all turned to see Del crying silently. Mr. Jones stood to go speak to his son, but Del turned and ran back up the stairs. The parents looked pitifully up in the direction their son had ran, leaving Russel to speak to his friend. Russel found himself outside of Del’s room, heart aching at the sobs that were growing in volume. He slowly opened the door with a knock to let him know he was coming in. When he was met with no protest, he opened the door fully and stepped in. Del looked a mess, sat on the floor with his back against his bed. Russel stood frozen until Del snaked his fingers into his dreads and began yanking. Russel crossed the floor with long strides before slipping his own fingers under Del’s and moving them down. Del gave him a watery glare before sighing and sagging completely against his bed. Russel waited for him to cry himself out before releasing his hands. “You alright now,” he asked, immediately regretting his choice of words. 

Del forced a cruel chuckle, wiping his face aggressively. “Yeah. For sure. Definitely. I only got disowned by my parents not even an hour after seeing them face to face for the first time since my death.” The rage from before returned with vigor. “They want to put me in a home Russel. A _home_!” The lights flickered as glass was heard breaking from somewhere else in the house. “Did they even consider how I would feel in the matter?”

In that instant, the house fell silent. Neither noticed the lights as they stopped flickering, too hung up on the question. Del sagged forward and was quickly caught by Russel. “I don’t wanna be alone again.”

Russel hugged the boy with tears in his eyes, before taking a breath. “You won’t be.” 

Del pushed away from him just enough to see his face. Meeting his eyes, Russel promised him, “I’m taking you back with me.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any questions as to why I wrote something someway, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll try to get back to you.


End file.
